LINK TO PDF NEWSLETTER DOWNLOAD
November 2026
Black-capped Chickadee
Is a non-migratory species. Its habit of investigating people and everything else in its home territory, and quickness to discover bird feeders, make it one of the first birds most people learn. They don’t mind using tiny hanging feeders that swing in the wind, and also readily visit window feeders. Consider putting up a nest box to attract a breeding pair. Make sure you put it up well before breeding season. Attach a guard to keep predators from raiding eggs and young. Black-capped Chickadees are especially attracted to a box when it is filled with sawdust or wood shavings.
The Black-capped Chickadee hides seeds and other food items to eat later. Each item is placed in a different spot and the chickadee can remember thousands of hiding places.
Every autumn Black-capped Chickadees allow brain neurons containing old information to die, replacing them with new neurons so they can adapt to changes in their social flocks and environment even with their tiny brains.
Chickadee calls are complex and language-like, communicating information on identity and recognition of other flocks as well as predator alarms and contact calls. The more dee notes in a chickadee-dee-dee call, the higher the threat level.
Winter flocks with chickadees serving as the nucleus contain mated chickadee pairs and non-breeders, but generally not the offspring of the adult pairs within that flock. Other species that associate with chickadee flocks include nuthatches, woodpeckers, kinglets, creepers, warblers and vireos.
Most birds that associate with chickadee flocks respond to chickadee alarm calls, even when their own species doesn’t have a similar alarm call.
There is a dominance hierarchy within flocks. Some birds are “winter floaters” that don’t belong to a single flock—these individuals may have a different rank within each flock they spend time in.
Even when temperatures are far below zero, chickadees virtually always sleep in their own individual cavities. In rotten wood, they can excavate nesting and roosting holes entirely on their own. There are also two other species that can be seen in Alberta. The Boreal and the Mountain, although they are seldom seen in Calgary
There is also the Chestnut-backed chickadee which is an uncommon visitor to Alberta. These birds don’t migrate but perform some seasonal movements in search of food and as a result they sometimes do turn up in Alberta, but that is considered rare. They are commonly found in the Crowsnest Pass or southern Alberta (near Waterton), but are at home throughout British Columbia.
Boreal Chickadee
Chestnut Backed Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
If you are unable to make it in to the store on Tuesday for Senior’s Day discount, then you can call the store anytime on Tuesday to place and pay for your order, and then you can pick it up later in the week at your convenience.
PLEASE NOTE:
This is for customers who are currently signed up as a senior’s day customer and applies only to in-store purchases.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING CHANGE IN DELIVERY SCHEDULE
Commencing October 1, 2026 deliveries will be EVERY week
Wildwood Community Centre (4411 Spruce Drive SW): We will be on location
Starting November 2026 to May 1 2027
First Tuesday of the month – Tuesday November 3/2026
Thank you for your continued support.
PLEASE NOTE: Crowfoot location hours change to 2:00pm to 5:00pm September 2, 2026. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Crowfoot Arena (corner of John Laurie & Nosehill Drive NW: Wednesday 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Please place orders by 12:00 noon the day before the truck is on location
The Mobile Seed Truck is a mini version of The Wild Bird Store, and as such, we are limited to what we can carry. It is therefore, highly recommended that you place an order the day before the truck is to be at your desired location. This will ensure that when you come to the Mobile Seed Truck you get the items you need.
Text us @ (403)701-4571 OR email us at orders@wildbirdstore.ca
Earn and redeem customer loyalty points on the Mobile Seed Truck
DELIVERY: Deliveries will still be made on Thursdays ONLY.
Please phone the store at (403) 640-2632 any day prior to 12:00 noon on the Wednesday before your delivery; place and pay for your delivery. Please phone with your order as early as possible to avoid disappointment. If you have any special instructions please do not forget to inform us when you place your order.
THE DELIVERY CHARGE WILL BE $10
MINIMUM ORDER FOR DELIVERY $25.
Options for shopping at the Wild Bird Store
THE DELIVERY CHARGE WILL BE $10. MINIMUM $25 ORDER FOR DELIVERY.
Commencing October 1, 2026, Deliveries will be every Thursday
Store hours are:
10:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Saturday
We offer a discount if you return your 20 LB or 40 LB seed bags so that we can re-use them (sorry—not the Mother Nature bags which we cannot re-use), suet ball containers, or if you bring your own container or bag to fill . This discount is in addition to any other discount offered.
Question:
Is it true that I can buy a pair of binoculars that can help me identify almost all of thebirds in the world?
Response:
Indeed, that is the case. Swarovski, the maker of my favourite binoculars, has brought high-class observation equipment to a whole other level with the invention of its brand-new Optik Ax Visio smart binoculars. Using, you guessed it, AI technology, these ultra-modern binos can help you identify in real time over 9,000 bird species and other wildlife with just the touch of a button. Not only that, a pair of these binoculars will also allow you to share your discoveries and offer even more practical extra functions. To give credit where credit is due, the person responsible for this incredible product is world-famous industrial designer from Australia, Marc Newson. It took five years of research and development. The built-in camera can capture photos and videos, which can then be immediately managed and shared with your smartphone using the associated Swarovski Optik Outdoor App. Within the app, you have the option to “share discoveries”, meaning that it enables the user to guide another person to the observed object using arrow markers in the display, allowing everyone in your group with these binoculars to spot that rare bird themselves! I suppose that the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence was inevitable. When the Merlin app freely available from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology came out with both photo and sound ID, I thought at the time that was pretty cool. However, while I trust the sound ID, I have not been that impressed with the photo ID. It remains to be seen then how accurate these new smart Swarovski binos will be in identifying birds. And will it not take all the fun out of birdwatching such as playing detective and treasure hunter all rolled into one? One thing is certain though – the price tag for a pair will set you back about five grand U.S. I do not know many birders who can afford to shell out that kind of money.
Swarovski Optik 36005 AX Visio 10×32 Smart Binoculars with Built-in Camera and Compass, Bird, Mammal and Insect Identification AI Technology, Share Discoveries Mode, Captures Photos and Video
David M. Bird, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology, McGill University www.askprofessorbird.com
David M. Bird is Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology and the former Director of the Avian Science and Conservation Centre at McGill University. As a past-president of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, a former board member with Birds Canada, a Fellow of both the American Ornithological Society and the International Ornithological Union, he has received several awards for his conservation and public education efforts. Dr. Bird is a regular columnist on birds for Bird Watcher’s Digest and Canadian Wildlife magazines and is the author of several books and over 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications. He is the consultant editor for multiple editions of DK Canada’s Birds of Canada, Birds of Eastern Canada, Birds of Western Canada, and Pocket Birds of Canada. To know more about him, visit www.askprofessorbird.com or email david.bird@mcgill.ca.
Jim’s years of guiding bird walks for the Wild Bird Store has been instrumental in teaching “birders” how to get the most out of their birding excursions.
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PLEASE BE ADVISED:
Jim will be away for a period of time starting in July. Please consult future newsletters or the Wild Bird Store online calendar at www.wildbirdstore.ca for future dates. Please keep Jim in your thoughts and prayers as he faces some health challenges. We wish Him a full recovery.
On Consignment:
We have a Customers gently used Scope and Tripod set up for sale in the store. Please come in and ask for details for this great opportunity to get a magnificent spotting scope. Swarovski AT80 HD. 20-60 Times Eyepiece.
- A group of herons, including great blue herons, is called a siege, or sometimes a sedge. The Book of St Albans (published in 1486) used the term sege to refer to a group of herons, but later texts used sedge and present-day texts use siege.
- The idea is that herons lay siege on their prey, waiting for it to surrender.
- The great blue heron is the largest heron in North America, achieving a height between 3-4.5 feet (92-137 cm), with a wingspan that can reach over 6 feet (about 185 cm). Despite their large size, they only weigh between 5-6 pounds (2.27-2.72 kg), thanks to their hollow bones, a feature shared by all birds.
- The great blue heron has a white counterpart. The “great white heron,” likely a subspecies, lives in Southern Florida, the Yucatan Peninsula, and in the Caribbean.
- In areas where great blue herons and great white herons overlap, offspring with blue heron bodies and white heads and necks can be found, these are known as “Wurdemann’s herons.”
- They primarily nest in colonies called “heronries” in trees near water.
- These nests can be 100 or more feet off the ground and range from about five to five hundred nests per colony.
- Great blue herons have specialized feathers on their chest that grow continuously and fray into bits of down. They comb and preen these fraying bits of down into their feathers, providing some protection from fish slime.
- During breeding season, great blue herons display bright blue lores, reddish irises, and orange-hued yellow bills.
- To keep cool in hot weather, great blue herons can be seen with drooped wings and open beaks, fluttering their throat muscles in a process called “gular fluttering.”
- These birds fly with their necks tucked against their bodies in an “S” shape, differentiating them from cranes, which fly with outstretched necks.
- Great blue herons hunt well at dusk and in low light, thanks to a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve night vision.
We offer a discount if you return your 20 LB or 40 LB seed bags so that we can re-use them (sorry—not the Mother Nature bags which we cannot re-use), suet ball containers, or if you bring your own container or bag to fill . This discount is in addition to any other discount offered.
Write a Google review on your experience at The Wild Bird Store, and as a thank you, we will give you 100 customer loyalty points ($5.00 value). To get a promo code, kindly email info@wildbirdstore.ca
(one Google review per customer)
Earn 200 customer loyalty points ($10.00 value) by referring a friend, acquaintance or fellow birder.
Please visit the store to get a promo code.
No need for a card, just give your phone number. You earn $1.00 for every $20.00 spent (excludes “sales” items, books & optics) and can be used in-store and on Mobile Seed Truck. As a loyalty member our monthly promotions and in-store “specials” are automatically given at the cash register.
Combining our Seniors 10% discount with the Loyalty Program. (Excludes “sales” items, books & optics).
Discount for membership 10% discount for members of Fish Creek Park, AIWC, Priddis Golf Club, Nature Calgary, Sandy Cross Conservation, Springbank Garden Club and Millarville Horticultural Society. Must present valid membership card at time of purchase.
Discount for Military Members & Veterans 10% discount on
purchases in-store or on Mobile Seed Truck (sorry—excludes “sales”
items, books, optics and consignment items)
Working together to help bats
Bats are vital to Alberta’s biodiversity and play a key role in sustaining our ecosystems and economy. We are working with communities across Alberta to improve the management and public perception of bats in the province.
News and Highlights
To read more, please visit:
Wildlife Conservation Society Canada’s Alberta Community Bat Program.
DONATIONS
Located at The Wild Bird Store (near the seed bins). We collect your cash as well as “wishlist” donations and arrange to deliver them to local wildlife organizations including Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation, Alberta Institute of Conservation and Ellis Nature Centre.
We ask for your support quarterly for each of these organizations.
For September. October and November 2026 your donations will go to:
Thank you for your support
FOUND AN INJURED BIRD/ANIMAL? BELOW IS A LIST OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTACT IN YOUR AREA
200 million people globally are crazy about birdwatching – are you one of them? 200 million people globally are crazy about – birdwatching – are you one of them?
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Check out our Get Birding YouTube channel to discover tips on everything from birdfeeders to binoculars to backyard birding; how to photograph birds; bird identification; and interviews with celebrity birders.
Join our Members Club ‘The Flock’ to get:
Exclusive film & audio content
Special offers on birdwatching brands
Community hub access with birders across the world
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Subscribe to the Podcast
With four seasons to peck through, and new episodes dropping every fortnight with special guests and birdwatching tips, subscribe to Get Birding’s award-winning podcast hosted by Sean Bean.
Get Birding’s mission: to help everyone, everywhere access nature.
Birds are the easiest entry point to discovering nature, no matter where you live or who you are – impacting health, wellbeing and the planet.
Since 2021, Get Birding has championed diversity in wildlife, with our podcast hosts Sean Bean, Hamza Yassin, Dr Mya-Rose Craig & City Girl in Nature promoting birding for all.
To read more, please visit: Sean Bean birding
Have you checked out the Merlin app? Would you like a demonstration on how they will help you to identify birds? Stop by The Wild Bird Store during regular business hours and staff will be happy to show you how the app will enable you to identify birds in various ways.
Identify Bird Songs and Calls
Identify Birds by your Photos
Save Birds to Your Life List
Explore lists of birds near your location
Amazing new penguin discovered for first time in over 100 years
Antarctica’s four-foot-tall Emperor penguin may be the best-known member of the penguin family, but it is far from alone. Seventeen other penguin species live across the Southern Hemisphere, and many inhabit isolated islands that are difficult for scientists to reach and study.
A new species of Gentoo penguin has provided compelling evidence that Gentoo penguins actually comprise four distinct evolutionary lineages. The researchers propose recognizing all four as separate species, including one newly described from the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean known in French as the Desolation Islands, nearly 2,000 miles from any permanently inhabited landmass. That remoteness may help explain how an entire species of Gentoo penguins escaped recognition for so long. An international team led by researchers in Chile and at the University of California, Berkeley has now identified the population as a distinct species, making it the first new penguin species named in more than 100 years.
Four species have now been identified: the northern Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua), the southern Gentoo (P. ellsworthi), the eastern Gentoo (P. taeniata) and the newly described southeastern Gentoo (P. kerguelensis). The study also revises the status of the South Georgia Gentoo described in 2020, placing it within the southern species as a distinct subspecies rather than a separate species
To read more on this discovery, please type in Google –
New Penguin Species Discovered After More Than 100 Years
Does your Aspects or Squirrel Buster feeder need some replacement parts?
Is the warranty & repair depot for:
Squirrel Buster® Bird Feeders
Aspects® Feeders
Did you know that we can repair/replace parts and make it look like brand new?
Wednesday November 11, 2026 – The Wild Bird Store will be closed.
WE ARE LOCATED AND CAN BE FOUND AT:
5901 3rd Street S.E.,
Calgary, AB T2H 1K3
email: info@wildbirdstore.ca
(403) 640 2632
The Store is open Monday through Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm
We are CLOSED Sundays, and ALL Statutory holidays for Faith, Family and Friends.
We still offer curbside pickup every day we are open and delivery service on every Thursday.
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Go to YouTube, type in the search bar “The Wild Bird Store” to watch our videos and to help us become more visible . Be sure to click on “Subscribe” before you leave the page.
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Active and acrobatic, clinging to small limbs and twigs or hanging upside down from cones. In winter, Chestnut-backed chickadees flock with kinglets and nuthatches. Flight is generally short and undulating, with flock members setting out to cross openings one at a time. These birds don’t migrate but perform some seasonal movements in search of food. They usually move to lower elevations in the same area upon the onset of winter and move back up to higher elevations in late summer.
